Regulator.



W. J. TURNER.

REGULATOR.

APPLICATION HLEUAPR. 6. |91s.

Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

//v VEN Tan l/I/f A Tri/.s

Aplied to alter Vment of stiff and f lezible passages.V feature is toprovide so that it canbe made WILLIAM J. TURNER, or rnovIDnivcn, RHODEISLAND.

REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11, 1919,

` Applicaton'filed April 6, 1916. I Serial No. 89,359.

To all whom t may concern." Y

Beit known that l, WILLIAM tLIFURivnR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of RhodeIsland, have invented new and useful Improvements iny Regulators, ofwhich the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to improvements in regulators. More particularlyit `relates to means for making anyregulation, such as the opening orclosing of a valve, required when the level of liquid in a principalcontainer has changed. It is illustrated as it may be applied. inregulating the supply of feed water to a keep the level of water withinthe boilerl approximately uniform. lt may however, be used forother'purposes, as for example to regulate the dampers that control thelire under a boiler in a vapor or partial vacuum system of steamheating. In suchv a case the level of water within the boiler varieswith the pressure ofsteam therein, and the regulating devices ofthe'invention may be apthe setting ofV the dampers when the pressure ofsteam has changed the water level. Adaptations of the invention to suchan organization are illustrated and claimed more in detail in myapplications for Letters Patent Serial Nos. 89,358 and 89,360. Theinvention is by no means limited to use in the connections thus shown.

The invention provides a movable receiver outside of but connected tothe liquid space of the principal container, in free communicationtherewith and capable of holding the liquid in varying quantities, andsupported on balancing means, such asV a lever, such that the balanceAVswings according as the Vweight of liquid in the receiver is greater orless than a predetermined amount. ln swinging it operates the desiredmechanism, such as a valve, inthe proper direction, and without losingAits communication with the principalcontainer sets itself in positie-nto be moved oppositely when arsuflicient ch ange Vto the opposite hasoccurred therein. Further features of the invention relate to the lmeansof supporting of such a receiver, and

of keeping the whole in stability and of holding it by a'single bolt;also to the means for Vsupporting it thus movably with respect tothemain liquid container in an inexpensive way, as by providingparallelogram arrange- Another boiler where it is desired to I andshipped from a central factory in form for an ordinary workman or steamlitter at the place of yinstallation to set it in proper conformity tothe particular local conditions as to height of studding, level of waterin boiler, etc., without error and Without special supervision of thesetting, with the result that the appliance can-be usedV in connectionwith boilers or other liquid containers of any make and at any place,with proper supports cheaply madeA of'locally obtained materials.Another feature of the invention is the combination of such a receiverwith a steam boiler working on a closed pressure system in which acircuit, including the water part o-f the boiler, receiver, and thesteam part of the boiler, is a feature, so that the water in thereceiver registers with the water level in the boiler and automaticallyprovides for the opening or closing of the valve admitting feed wa-terto the boiler in order to keep the water level approximatelypconstantand always safe in the boiler. And in this connectionA another featureprovides for sure operation and positive control of the valve,automatically exaggerating or emphasizing its action.

Itis intended by sui-table'expression in the appended claims tocoverwhatever features of patentable novelty exist in the inventiondisclosed. The invention may be embodied in various means and applied inconnection with apparatus of various types. In the accompanyingdrawings:

Figure 1 illustrates in side elevation an application of the inventionas a regulator for feed water for a steam boiler; Y

Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the receiver in section on the line 2 2 ofFig. l, enlarged;

Fig. 3 is a plan of the same n section on the 'line- .3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. t is a side elevation, enlarged and in medial section, of a detailof Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same, in section on the line 5-5 ofFig. fl.

Referring tothe drawings, l0 indicates a steam boiler, l1 the waterinlet thereto, l2 the dome or steam space, and 13 indicates the waterlevel. A. standard built in sections of iron piping 14, has interveningfittings l5, 16 and 23, the middle one of which fulcrums a lever 17. Onone arm of this is hung the receiver 18, and on the other arm is anadjustable weight 19. A pipe 20 connects the water space of the boilerwith litting l5 whence a flexible connection 21 ccntinues to the lowerpart of receiver 18. The receiver is preferably rather long vertically.F rom its upper part a flexible connection 22 leads to fitting 23 andthence pipe 2l affords connection with the steam space 12 of the boiler.There is therefore, an uninterrupted circuit from the water space of theboiler through the receiver 18 to the steam space of the boiler so thatthe water in the receiver .will always stand at the saine level 13 asthe water in the boiler, varying with it.

Although thus connected, the weight or' water in the receiver issustained by the column or standard 14. One feature of the iiiventionrelates to the manner in ,which this column is constructed and thereceiver supported inovably thereon, in order to provide stability andlightness coupled with the necessary strength and adaptability to thesurroundings of its installation, which, in practice, vary greatly as torelative levels of floor, of ceiling and of water in the boiler. Asillustrated, the receiver depends from a single bolt 25 Which, acting asa pivot, passes through one of the various holes provided in the simplebar lever 17;` and that lever in turn is supported at its fulcruin by asingle pivot bolt 26 passing through the fitting 16. In view of thevarying water level in it, it is desirable that the receiver hangvertically from its pivot. It also should be symmetrically disposed withrespect thereto, as ya tendency to tip to either side iwould produceincreased friction and decreased sensitiveness of action. Moreover, asimple suspension will not serve, for the space at the top of thereceiver is hampered with a connection which ultimately leads to theboiler, or, in one of the other forms by a vent with a wide diaphragmcontrolling it, and these ought to be in the middle in order that thedesired balance may be had. The bottom is likewise hampered by aconnection which ultimately leads to the boiler. The invention providesmeans by .which the lever 17 passes through the metal which constitutesthe receiver 1S, between these connections butV on the medial line nearthe top. Preferably the tank is of vertically elongated form, so thatthere is a considerable distance through which the level of water mayrise or fall; and this level of water may even extend above the placewhere the pivotal support 25 is, but the receiver always hangs in stableposition, notwithstanding tlie changes of level of water Vtherein andnotwithstanding that the water is sometimes above the level of thatsup-port, Y

because the center of the gray/ity of the receiver even when filled withwater is Vbelow the bolt 25. To accomplishV this the shell thatconstitutes the receiver is formed with A two intersecting centralpassages from ex` Y -terior to'eXterior, through one of which the levermay be put, and through the other ofV which. the supporting pin passes,pene` trating both shell and lever but not penetrating' the interior ofthe shell. This is accomplished by providing deep recesses on oppositesides of the shell, so deep that they meet Yat the'center, in theprovision made for the lever; and so deep in the provision made for thebolt, that there is only a web` ofV metal,-

but no water space, intervening between each andthe lever space, which.web receives the bolt 25 and supports the /whole shell.

lVithin the shell, the angular spaces b etween the deep indentationsmade by these recesses provide passagesth-rough which the' cwatercanrise and fall. The hole through" whichthe lever goes hasd-iverging walls above andl below, from the center outward, so that thereceiver can` vremain vertically swinging on its pivotal support 25,notwithp to provide the desired balance for the tanklm The fitting 16 inthe upright tubular column 14 is pierced by a hole extending'horizontally, through which the lever passes, and by anotherhorizontally at right angles to the; lever hole, in avhich other is putthe fulcrumA bolt 26. This fitting has bosses at top and bottom withwhich sections of iron piping connect. Thetting 15 for the water passagethrough the standard and theriitting 23 for the steam passage'V throughthe standard have similar bosses atdtop and bottom into which thelengths of iron pipe may be screwed. As iron piping is a commodity athand in every community, the' invention as thus described affords aconvenient means by which al single factory can supply the trade withthese columns, in such form that the apparatus can be set at any desiredlevel with respect to floor or ceiling, so as to make the tankV at aproper elevation with respect to the normal water level .within theboiler" or other container for liquid with respect to which theapparatus is to be used, without the burden of carrying a stock ofassorted the parts 14"which constitute merely tubucut for" larextensions of the column 111, VreachingV to shoes 4() supplied by thefactory lfor engagement with the floor and ceiling respectively. Theseshoes have bosses with threads long enough to receive a considerablelength Y stanchion, fixed thus bylset screws, andfloor andceilingscrews. Y

From the lever 17 is a connection to ya valve 31 controlling the supplyof feed water to the boiler, or to whatever else is to be operated orregulated. In the form illustrated sufficient weight isV to be placed at19 to not quite balance the weight of the receiver, the connected partsand the'water in it, when the feed water is above normal level. Theconnection to the said feed'water valve 31 is arranged so that thatvalve is then closed but would be opened by a descent of the weights 19.TheV action is then very simple. Y Whenever the level` of water in theboiler becomes lower than the normal level, there is a less weight ofwater to be supported by Vthe lever. Upon this becoming suflicientlyless,`it is over balanced by the weights 19, and the weights descend andthe receiver rises and in so doing the said water valve 31 is pulledopen by the lever 17. Upon such'rising the level of water in thereceiver becomes relatively lower, owing to the rise of the receivershell, andthe weight Yof water supported thereby becomes less, so

that there is an enhanced reponderance of Vthe weights 19. When su cientwater has entered the boiler so that the level inthe receiver 17,corresponding to the level in the.V

boiler, has risen high enough for the receiver to over balance theweights, the re-v ceiver descends, thus shutting vthe said water valve.On accountY ofthe movement of receiver andthe differential between thelevel Vat which water operates it to open the said valve and that atwhich water; operates it to close the Vsaid valve, it is manifest that asubstantial addition toV the water in the Yboiler is made each time theapparatus opcrates. The amount of'waterV thus intro# duced atneachoperation of the regulator may be varied by varying the vertical travelof receiver, and this obviously may be done Vbyfixing the limiting stopsV33er by setting the receiver at a dilferentdistance from the Vstandardwhich supports it.` x When the re-V ceiver swings down, owing to overbalancingby weight of water therein, the overbalancing becomes greateras it descends be-V causeV the depth of water within it increases withthe descent of'its bottom, and more'- water enters itin order to equalits former level, all of whichis supported on its end of the lever.Hence operation in the opposite direction to raise the receiver, swingthe lever oppositely and open the valve again,

' will not occur until there Vhas been a material lowering of waterVlevel in the boiler, sutli-v cient to exhaust the extra amount of saidwater that was thus admitted when the receiver sank. This amount, beingdetermined by the vertical movement of the receiver can be regulated atwill by setting the receivers distance from the fulcrum of lever 17, andadjusting weights 19 accordingly, or by setting the stops that limit-theswing of lever 17. The factV that this differentiation between Vthepoint at which the receiver will be swung down, and that at which itwillrbe swungy up can be made to correspond to a ,A

considerable difference of level of water in the receiver enables theapparatus to be used alsoV for regulating the water supply to a partialvacuum or a vapor vsystem of steam Y heating, in which systems the waterlevel varies more o1' less with variation of pressure in the boiler, onepart of the system being open to atmosphere while another part may besubject to a slight vacuum or slight pressure. The said feed waterregulator may be made with so great a differential between its limitingpositions, and of suliciently large area in cross section horizontally,so that the uctuations of water level due to this variation of steampressure do not afect it materially, and so that it is affectedV only Yby the more lfundamental changes of water level resulting from presenceor absence of a sufficient body of water,

which determines the general zone in which thepressure'changes of steamwill be effective.

If the regulating receiver be used to adjust the'position of dampers,for regulating the fire in a steam vapor heating system the top of thereceiver may be open to the atmosphere Vinstead of being connected totheV steam part of the Vboiler as represented by passage 22, 23 and 24.In that case the changes of elevation of water inV the receiver willdepend mainly upon ,the changes in pressure in the boiler, and the levelof water in the receiver will not correspond with the' level in theboiler, butl will l rise, for example, when the level in Vthe boilerisdepressed by rise of steam pressure Y therein. VThis rise of water inthe regulative ieceiveiadds to its weight so that it'presently swingsdownward thus operating its connections with dampers for regulatingthelire; and when it has thus once operated the oftheA receiver has beenmadeup. Y In the meantime any changes of quantity ofwater inthe. boiler,such as would, require the injection ofl more feed-Water, makerelatively little diiierencein the. Water in the regula+ tive receiver,4butin-soy faras the addition of i'resh feed water cools the bodyofwaterI already in the boiler, and thus-reducesthe,

rateofmaking steam, this diminishes the steampressure and thusinfluencesthe vregulatorto. open the drafts and' increase-.the

fire -in-orderto neutralize the eiifectaofthevv tor-the fitting where;the upper flexible-- connectionf isV j oi-nedy to the steamr passage,

andhaving aE vertical side, movable, con-l sisting vofthereceiver.As-the length ofl each of: the-flexible connections, whichmay be ofanysuitable kind of flexible tubing, is equal :substantially tothe lengthof the lever- 17 'betweenits-fulcrum at 26 and itspivotal connection to!the-receiverd at 25, only a minimum ofiiexible tubing=is required.Indeed, if' suitablypackedl swinging joints were prov-idedrsti tubing;might be substitutedor-the flexible tubing, which would swingarlways: inparallelism with the lever- 17: This-isf an improvementover an ar-Yrangement which might be made, by runof the receiver directly downwardto the supply. pipe.` under it, in which case thewholeverticaltravelofthe receiver would= have-toibo,- taken up by bendsin: the-ilexiapproximately horizontally as illustrated,

there is a minimum of: bending,.and there`A fore-minimum of wear,iand=amaximum-of life for the tubing, expense becauseless is needed.

Byfthedescribed construction it will be seen that the regulativereceiver hanging from a-single pivot'hangs always vertically instableequilibrium, and with abundance Y ofz power: tofWo-rk any valve oryother device required. Moreover its installationat proper levela-nd itspermanent supportare effected by; an exceedingly simple mechanicalcontrivance-which cannot get 'outA of order andV which can be setcorrectly according-to:localconditions by a-local steamtter-,withgmaterials abundantly at hand,

trade for -thefwhole country.

s; Although/Vthe-invention is illustrated as` yningthe.flexible tubingfrom the bottom ble-tubing, Whereas-by leading the tubing;

as well as. minimum of'- downwardl-` to floor;

it may be'appliedto, -aISteam-heater working under pressure, for which purpose :the pipe 24 provides a complete circuit, it kwill be understoodthatitmight be used with a low pressureV or so-icalledvapor system or avacuum 9 system.in:which cases thel return main is open to atmosphereAork is connected to a suction producing means.- Inthat? case kthe pipe24 might be omitted. The communication of the. receiver 18 :with theatmosphere, vand of the-Water return-pipe ofV the systemwith theatmospheregor withsuction, gives -theequivalent ofA the illustrated Ycircuit .through z pipe` 24 :so that the receiver connect the receiverWithV ai container.:V for liquidsubject toffluctuationsf-oi' levelandto' permit free flowI of liquid in beth directions, said receiverb'eingfpenetrated .by said lever, andsupported thereby at'- av point inthe-midst-thereof butff external tothe walls thereof;

2. In'combina-tion,` an actuating-balances lever having-weight von onearmgand va receiver for liquid on its otherarm .and meansY separate fromthef leveladapted to con-Y forf liquid nectither receiver with acontainer subject to fluctuations-of -levelA and touperf mit free-how ofliquid` in both directions, said receiver being relativelylor-'1gverticallyv andhaving -two :intersecting horizontalpassagesthrough its upper'p'art,.notpenetrat- L ingV theliquidcontain-ingwalls thereof," throughy one of which'the Vsaid leverpasses;

and a-:pivot pin passingthrough .the-.other and through-said lever.'

3. In combination, an-1 actuating. balancelever having weight on one'arm-1v anda' receiver for liquid 'on its other arm ;V andfmeansfseparateY from thev lever adaptedto conf nect the receiverfwith-acontainerI for liquidV subjectto fluctuations.ofleveland to permit freeflow of liquid in-both-direcrions, said receiver being.- arranged withYits, center ofi gravity below the point-.atwhich.' it is sup-V portedvon said lever; there beinga'fsupportingfcolumn, having aportion holdingata Y rigid vertical distance apart the fulcru'm for: said lever and afitting constituting part of the connection from'thelrecei-verto saidcontainer, and having'other portions-consisting of separate.V tubularypieces attached at top Vand'bottorn thereof and ithenceex; tendingvrespectively 4. Ingcombination, an actuating balancel YVlex-"erjhavingweight on one `arm and a Vfre-1 Y thus enabling. acentra-l factory to supply the" upward to' Y ceiling 'and f cei'verv forliquid onv its other arm; Yand 1 meansrseparate 'fromf theLAlever.adapted-"tol .connectthe receiver with a container fori Copies ofthis patent may be obtained." for of and thence extending respectivelyupward to ceiling and downward to floor; said connecting means beingflexible and eftending in parallelism With said lever from the receiverto the said iittin Signed by me at Boston, gMassachusetts, thistwenty-eighth day of March, 1916.

W'ILLIAM J. TURNER.

Witnesses EVERETT E. KENT, JOSEPH T. BRENNAN.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. C.

